Close Call

It’s dark out.
It’s dark a lot this time of year.
The temperature is subzero and my car’s fan is blowing against the inside windows to keep them from frosting over.
The roads are still slippery from the recent snow and “black ice.”
The wind whips ice particles in front of my car as I work my way to the left lane to catch that left exit.
I keep a reasonable distance between my car and the one ahead.
This seems to annoy the other drivers who continue to change lanes.
The car behind me is so close I can’t see its headlights.
We’re all moving quickly down the freeway.
At last, the truck behind me is back what seems like a safe distance.
Suddenly I see red lights and traffic stops in front of me.
I have just enough room to stop safely, but I look behind me and the truck is sliding sideways toward me.
The truck screeches and ends up between my car and the freeway barrier.
My new Fusion has narrowly missed being crunched from behind.
Gradually traffic begins to move again.